Why I hestitated to support McMullin
There are many reasons I didn't want to support him at first, one of the biggest being that he is unable to be on the ballot in over 30 states. I'm all about voting your conscience and that you shouldn't avoid a third party because you feel like it's "wasting your vote", however with McMullin it's not only unlikely that he gets enough electoral votes, it's mathematically impossible. This was a big turn off for me. I have since accepted however that he has as good a chance as Johnson does for getting elected since both are banking on both major candidates failing to get 270 electoral votes and congress appointing them.
The next reason I hestitated to support him was his Mormon faith. This might seem strange since I am Mormon, but let me explain. I, like many Latter Day Saints, was saddened by the amount of people in 2008 that said they would never vote for Mitt Romney solely because he was Mormon. It seemed unfair and unAmerican, but then in the primaries Romney received 90% of the vote in Utah against John McCain and I gaurantee that if Romney had the exact same political views and moral standards, but was Baptist, it would have been a much closer race. My point is, a lot of Mormons supported Mitt Romney ONLY because he is Mormon which in my mind is just as bad as not supporting him just because he is Mormon. I wanted to make sure that I wasn't leaping to support McMullin only because of his Mormon faith and so I have taken the time to really understand his policies and while there is a lot more I can read and watch, I have read and seen enough to support him, here's what I've liked.
Why I now Support McMullin
One of Evan McMullin's biggest selling points is his service as a CIA operative. He has a very profound understanding of the war on terror and he knows what needs to be done to stop ISIS. His foreign policy is excellent.
The next thing I like about him is his presentation. He's a very collected person who talks with authority but maintains respect. He has stated why he is a better option than his opponents but he does it without name calling or immature summations of their character. He points to their actions and words and policies and uses that to show why they are unfit for office. On top of that he uses an intelligent vocabulary and a calm demeanor that shows that he is confident and in control.
He is a man of faith, but respects government. When questioned on whether he would try to appoint Justices that would change the Supreme Court ruling on Same Sex Marriage he replied that he would not. He explained that as a man of faith he believes that marriage is ordained of God as a sacred covenant between a man and woman, but then explained that the president represents all faiths, not just his, and that he would respect the Supreme Court ruling. I find this to be a sign of maturity and that he is ready to represent a nation and not just a subsection of that nation.
He is fiscally conservative. This is extremely important to me, I think our government has been spending money in a very immature way and we are out of control. Unlike the candidate on the Republican ticket, McMullin is a true conservative.
He wants to decriminalize marijuana, but not legalize it. I feel like the debate on marijuana has always been black and white, legal or a criminal act, but there is a classification system on drugs and you can make decriminalize a drug without making it legal for medical and recreational use. This is extremely important because it would allow science to do much more meaningful research that could shine light on the true breadth of side effects from marijuana.
I could go on, but the point is, Evan McMullin aligns with my views in many many ways and I feel like I have finally had enough exposure to his campaign to know that I am supporting him for the right reason.
Evan McMullin 2016
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